Luang Prabang, Laos

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Fire Boat Festival

This festival is not really concerned the MES, but just want to share it with many people around the world, because it’s one of very interesting and beautiful festivals of Luang Prabang.

The candle light boat festival is called “Ok Pan Sa” which means “the end of the Buddhist Lent” and it’s usually celebrated in November. This festival happens two periods of the year, the first is in the beginning of July and it’s called “Kao Pan Sa” which means “the Beginning of Buddhist Lent”

Why does it happens two times? And Why is it called Kao Pan Sa and Ok Pan Sa?
As I have heard from many novices, monks and other people.
Many years ago monks travelled everywhere to teach dramma to the lay people, but in July is the beginning of the rainy season and it was difficult for them to travel anywhere. And that’s why this is the beginning of the three-month long Buddhist Lent. All monks stoped travelling and stayed at temple for prayer and meditation. It’s also time for ordination of men entering a monkhood.

In November is the end of the rainy season, and started to travel again. This day marks the end of Buddhist Lent. The first day of the Buddhist Lent, many people go to the temple in the morning and the second day in the evening there is lighting of candles in and around the temples and people’s houses, as well as the lovely ceremony of Lai Hua Fai or fireboats, where small “boats” made of sections of banana tree trunks decorated with flowers, and lit candles are floated down the nearest river. It is believed these small boats will take away any bad luck and bring good luck.

Candles lighting in a temple
This is the day that the Naga (mythical water spirit) is supposed to send fireballs into the sky from the Mekong and its tributaries has become a big attraction for many people who flock to the river banks to try to sight these elusive fireballs. Hope you enjoy enjoy reading it!

CANDLES AT MES

I HEART MESOTHER PHOTOS FROM THE FESTIVAL

NOT ONLY THE FIRE BOATS WERE FLOW BUT THE LANTERNS WERE BURNT UP IN THE SKY